Since World War II until the eve of social media, a night out with friends (or alone) was all but the only near constant place of refuge for those that identified as gay or queer. These establishments provided an environment that allowed this community to both discover, explore and flourish their own sexual-orientations as well as meet similar other people and create connections to like-minded social circles.
Over the last half century or so, gay bars and clubs have played a pivotal role for the social hemisphere of the LGBTQ+ community.
